Wire cable or rope



WIRE CABLE OR ROPE Filed July 1, 1.941

f A TTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 15, 1942 WIRE CABLE on ROPE Norman Stanley Ellis, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada', assignor to Metal TextileV Corporation, West Orange, N. J., a corporationof Delaware Application July 1, 1941,'Serial No; 400,618

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in wire cable or rope; and the invention has reference,`

more particularly, to a novel center member or core around which the convolved wire strands of the cable or rope are laid.

In the production of wire cable or rope it has heretofore been the usual practice to provide a center member or core comprising roped brous material, such as sisal, hemp, jute or similar vegetable libre. Center members or cores of such fibrous material are subject to comparatively rapid deterioration, which results in a breaking down of the required. supporting and cushioning effect, whereby relative displacement of the convolved wire strands of the cable or rope occurs, with consequent increased risk of nicking and ultimate parting or breaking of said strands, thus greatly reducing the useful life ofthe cable or rope. Furthermore, such center members or. cores of fibrous material have little or no capacity for holding a lubricating substance, and, in fact, are likely to .be deleteriously affected by lubricants.

Having in view the above stated objections, and other objections not more particularly enumerated, which use of center members or cores of fibrous vegetable or like material involve, it is an object of this invention to provide a center member or core of novel structure and material which is not only calculated to avoid said objectionsbut is` furtherV calculated to provide advantages not obtainable by use of a center or core made of vegetable or other fibrous material, viz, a greater degree of longitudinal pliability without substantial cross-sectional deformation or loss of compressibility; a stronger and more uniform supporting and cushioning effect; a greater capacity for holding lubricating substance coupled with high resistance to any deleterious effects due to the presence of such lubricating substance; as well as other advantages, not at this time more particularly enumerated, but which will be understood from the following detailed description of this invention. To such ends, the novel center member or core for wire cable or rope according to this invention comprises, a metallic mesh fabric made of knitted wire, said fabric being transversely rolled, roven or otherwise formed into a pliable rope-like body which possesses a suitable degree of transverse compressbility for cushioning effect While nevertheless providing a strong and uniform supporting effect, and whereby a body of interstitial or foraminous internal structure is prov1ded capable of being charged with and having a substantial capacity for holding a suitable lubricating substance.

An` illustrative Iembodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a portion of wire cable or rope according to this invention, certain ofthe convolved wire strands being spread apart to disclose the novel center member or core, and an end portion of the latter being likewise spread apart to show the knitted character of the metallic mesh fabric of which it is composed; and Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the cable or rope drawn on an enlarged scale.

Referring to the drawing, the reference character I0 indicates the novel centermember or core. lSaid' center member or core l0 is produced from a strip or strips of knitted metallic wirek fabric II of suitable width. The strip or strips li optionally comprise dat or warp knit fabric or tubularknit fabric. Said strip or strips Il are laterally and more or less tightly rolled, roven Vor otherwise manipulated to form the compact but pliant rope-like body I 0 of the center member'or core. Said strip or strips being laterally rolled, roven or similarly manipulated, the knitted loops are disposed parallel to the longitudinal aXi's'of the resultant body IIJ, thus permitting relative longitudinal sliding action of adjoining interknit loops. Owing to such permissible longitudinal sliding play or telescopic action between the interlinked loops in either direction, the center member or core body, when flexed, will react to longitudinal stretch in the outer areas of its curvature and will be subject to longitudinal compression or contraction in the inner areas of its curvature. It will be obvious that these different and opposite relative sliding movements of interlinked knit loops in the outer and inner areas of a llexed and curved section of the center member or core body I0 will be mutually compensating, and the longitudinal flexing of the body I0 will not result in any substantial alteration of cross-sectional shape and area thereof, nor will wrinkling or bulging occur along the inner areas of the bent body. Due to such compensating longitudinal expansion and contraction, the supporting and cushioning effect of the center member or core relative to the convolved wire strands l2, which are laid upon and about said center member or core, will be substantially uniformly maintained, throughout the length or run of the cable or rope, with respect to both straight and flexed or curved portions or courses of the cable or rope, when the latter is in use.

In the complete cable or rope, a plurality of Wire strands l2, each composed of a plurality of convolved Wires in the usual manner, are convolutely laid upon and around the center member or core body I pursuant to conventional cable or rope manufacturing methods. As shown, the cable or rope embodies six wire strands I2, but it will be obvious that a greater or less number ofsuch strands may be employed, or instead of employingv wire strands each composed of a plurality of convolved wires, a plurality of individual wires may be laid upon and around the center member or core body: l0,1all as well known in the cable or rope manufacturing industry. i i

The novel center rnembe 1fo'i'core4 bodyjI l0;V as composed of knitted metallic` me'sh"` and charac'- terized as above set forth, rio't-` onlypossesss i' great flexibility or pliancy but also a nicely balanqed degree of compressibility so thatA it' will" readily Vconformgitself to the wire'V strands 'l-Zf laid upon and about the same so as tos-provide adequate support for said strands and-desired cushioning thereof, and yetwill not; be sor softV or- Ydeformable as14V to: permit undue relative;v displacement of the YstrandsVv with -risk ofV nickingf of the wires v.or kinking thereofglikely `to weaken and subjectlthe sameto the further risk of breaking; f

One ofthe-marked advantages ofthe novel;

center .memberr or gcore according to vthis inventionV e is-,that the .pliant-V rope-like --body thereof,l

due to its; formatiori-fr or nd-knittedY metallic mesh, is ofl an interstitial-for-forazgninousy structure, whereby `the same maybe readily impregnated witha,y suitable lubricating 4rsubstance,j;such e.l g,4

as graphite; and since thisinterstitial-or--forarninousl structure issubstantially uniform throughto the stresses and strains incidental-to use-thereof, As a resultVof'thistheuseful lifeofthe-cableV axial core which is elastically compressible latl5` erally, comprisinggaknitted metallic mesh fabric ,for-med" int'o'; a rope-like body mass, and Wire strands laid upon and about said core so as to be. supported:1a'ndi cushioned thereby.

2,. In arwire cable or rope, a pliant axial core comprising a knitted metallic mesh fabric formed tofprovide a;- foraminous` rope-like body mass which` is-elasticallycompressible, laterally, said foraminousbody mass vbeing impregnatedV witlna lubricating substance, and wireA strands laid, upon and about said core-so asto be supported' and; cushioned thereby.

3i In aw-ire cable.. orrope, .a-plif'i'ntY axial. core comprising an knitted" metalliclme'sh-.fab'rid arranged in laterally convolvei'Y superposed layers to form a foraminous rope-like bodyA which is elasticallyV compressible laterally,v -whereiri the interengagedknit rloops of the fabric .lie Yparallel toY the axis of .the-coreiso `th'atl sliding play is permitted -v betweenA longitudinally. ad-j oin'ed loops toward and from` each? other throughoutV the body -thereof,-and-wire .strands laidupon and about saidlcoreso asi to'. be supported andV cushionedtli'ereby. Y c

4. In av wireY cableV orrope, a pliant axial'core comprising a kriit'edmetallic imesh' Afabric ariranged. in laterally4 convolvedsuperposed layers to forma foraminousrope-like,body which is elastically compr'essible laterally, wherein the interengaged knit loops of the fabric lie parallel to the axis of thecoresothat sliding play is Vpermittedl between. Ylongitudinallyadj oining loops toward and fro'rrieach'rotherr throughout thepbody mass thereof, .s'aidframinous bodyrbeing Vimpregnate'dwithl a lubricating substance; and .wire

strands laid` upon andiaboutsaid coreso as to .be

supported and ,cushionedthereby 

